Child Safe After Domestic Dispute Leads to Police Chase

JEFFERSON CITY - A phone call reporting an assault turned into a police chase that ended in an arrest Saturday morning, according to the Jefferson City Police Department.

Jefferson City Police Captain Doug Shoemaker said a 29-year-old woman called the Jefferson City Police Department Saturday morning and reported her boyfriend, Leslie Austin, 33, assaulted her and drove away with their six-year-old daughter.

The Jefferson City Police said Austin proceeded to call the victim and threatened her and any officers who followed him. Shoemaker said an investigation led officers to Austin's vehicle in a commuter parking lot near Taos. He said this sparked a pursuit from Taos into Jefferson City that ended in the Salvation Army parking lot on Jefferson Street.

The police said when the chase ended, Austin yelled at the officers to shoot him. The Jefferson City Police struck Austin with a TASER and took him into custody.

Shoemaker said the six-year-old girl was in the vehicle unharmed and was taken into protective custody, according to the police department.

Austin is facing charges of second degree domestic assault, resisting arrest, endangering the welfare of a child and third degree assault on a law enforcement officer.